Medical Assistance in Dying became legal in Canada on June 17, 2016, and has gained

tremendous attention in the last few years. This healthcare law in Canada has significantly

helped terminally ill people who were willing to die. Everyone has a right to bodily

independence, and if someone is suffering from enormous amounts of pain, they should have

every right to decide whether they live or die. Many consider it unethical, but I strongly agree

that Medical Assistance in Dying would help terminally ill individuals, as it eases their suffering,

allows them to end their life with dignity and gives them a quality of life than quantity;

additionally, nurses have significant involvement in assisting these procedures, and in future

nurses need more education to provide this service.

Today, medicines and other medical preventions have extended the length of life and

delayed death; however, living a long life prevents terminal illness and suffering. Today many

people are living a life that has no dignity or quality. A terminally ill person whose natural death

has become reasonably foreseen can seek medical aid to end his or her life. Many palliative

patients in hospitals request a MAID to end their life and misery because dying without pain is

better than waiting to die with enormous pain. This topic gained my interest because while

working in a hospital, I see many individuals suffering from tremendous pain, and many go for

specific treatments that give them more pain than they are already suffering. Many are in

palliative waiting to die; the physiological suffering in palliative care is unbearable because we

all know mental suffering means more than physical pain. MAID would help these individuals

ease their pain or misery as no one wants to live a life entirely dependent on others. Many older

adults are forced to live by their family for years despite their suffering or their families abandon

many as they are a burden on them due to their sickness or incapabilities to live an independent
life. Also, some individuals are afraid of future suffering as their disease progresses, and if

somebody wants to end their life with dignity, they should seek assistance through MAID. Many

people are leaning toward MAID. As stated in the article, "the reasons these patients gave for

requesting assisted deaths included loss of autonomy, loss of ability to do enjoyable or

meaningful activities, disease-related symptoms, and fear of future suffering." (Canadian Family

Physician, Sep 2018).

Medical Assistance in Dying is a relatively new law implemented in Canada recently.

This subject brings many societal controversies and poses an ethical dilemma for many

individuals. There are two sides to this issue: one who passionately supports it and others who

oppose it for many reasons. For instance, many think it is against their religion or their beliefs. I

am entirely in favour of MAIDS. If someone is mentally capable, they have the right to decide

how they want to end their misery and suffering when no other options are available. Everyone

has a right to live or die with dignity and has a right to a quality of life without any suffering;

why should people suffer from pain, loneliness, hopelessness and being tired of living? As a

society, we need to understand these individuals and educate more people on Medical Assistance

in Dying, as it is not morally wrong to let go of these individuals who are tired of living due to

their medical conditions. We need to put ourselves in their body for one day and feel the pain

they go through or the challenges they face when they are entirely dependent on someone to live;

then, we will get a clear picture because just breathing or being in constant pain is not living. Our

society needs to change its perception of MAID and empower these individuals to make the right

life choices.

Further, the article states, "with the distinguished change in societal views, a public

health perspective includes supporting safe and equitable access to medical assistance in dying."
(CPHA, April 2016). Human rights state that every person has a right to live, that these rights are

protected under the law, and that no one is allowed to take another human being's life; however,

many countries pose the death penalty for certain crimes. If these death penalties are ethical, then

allowing someone to end their life due to their illness is equally moral.

Next, healthcare professionals like nurses are crucial in providing Medical Assistance in

Dying. Even though nurses do not directly administer medications to patients, they assist doctors

and NPs in MAID. They can also help a patient to self-administer the drugs prescribed for

MAID. Nurses put their input by educating and promoting wellness to patients at the end of their

life if someone is considering MAID, provide support to the families and patients and assist in

starting an intravenous line that will be used to administer the medication during the procedures.

(CNO, November 2018). Nurses educate patients about MAID procedures, try to answer any

concerns patients have about these procedures and promote wellness because wellness at the end

of care connects to the concept of a dignified death. In millers nursing, "death with dignity is

increasingly associated with physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, terms such as dignified

death" (Hirst, Lane, and Miller, 2015, p.597). Next, nurses support the patient and their families

who have requested MAID; they Support conversations about assisted death with patients and

families. Nurses also provide tremendous phycological help by discussing patient wishes with

requested family members. As Patients, needs cannot be accomplished without a reliable support

system that involves families in care (Hirst, Lane, and Miller, 2015, p.566). Next, Nurses address

patients' requests on MAID unbiasedly as soon the topic arises through nurses' therapeutic

relationship. Nurses make arrangements for MAID, including medications, starting IV access or

preparing infusing pumps for the medicine. Also, nurses arrange the requested rituals by the

patient, like music and the family members involved in the care. (Dierckx de Casterlé et al.,
2010). Next, nurses provide excellent quality care to their patients at the end of their life by

separating their values and perceptions while respecting their patient's decisions while assisting

them with MAID.

Ultimately, Medical Assistance in Dying is a step forward in the Canadian healthcare

industry. It is a relatively new subject, and many consider it unethical for various reasons. Some

perceive it as killing another human being. In my judgment, it is not morally wrong if a person is

mentally capable of making a decision; then that person has all the right to end his or her life.

Dying with dignity is better than living a life with no quality or enjoyment where people cannot

express their feelings to others or are in constant pain. Even though nurses do not directly

administer the medications in MAID, they play a vital role in these procedures by helping

doctors and providing the best possible care to their patients. Future nurses require more MAID

education as more patients request these procedures. Nursing schools do not teach much on this

topic, and supportive education that embraces MAID as a topic in the recognized curriculum

could prepare nurses to justify their duty to patients that request assistance to die. It will also help

reduce the powerlessness nurses experience when they do not know how to respond to these

patients or answer their questions and concerns.